760.1110—Refunds; joint and several liability.
(b) Determinations not eligible for administrative review or appeal.
FSA determinations that are not in response to a specific individual participant's application are not to be construed to be individual program eligibility determinations or adverse decisions and are, therefore, not subject to administrative review or appeal under parts 11 or 780 of this title. Such determinations include, but are not limited to, application periods, deadlines, coverage periods, crop years, fees, prices, general statutory or regulatory provisions that apply to similarly situated participants, national average payment prices, regions, crop definition, average yields, and payment factors established by FSA for any of the programs for which this subpart applies or similar matters requiring FSA determinations.
This subpart sets forth the terms and conditions applicable to the 2005-2007 Livestock Compensation Program (LCP).
(a)
This program is administered under the general supervision of the Administrator, Farm Service Agency (FSA).
(b)
FSA representatives do not have authority to modify or waive any of the provisions of the regulations of this subpart.
(c)
The State FSA committee must take any action required by the regulations of this subpart that the county FSA committee has not taken. The State committee must also:
(1)
Correct, or require a county committee to correct, any action taken by such county committee that is not in accordance with the regulations of this subpart; or
(2)
Require a county committee to withhold taking any action that is not in accordance with this subpart.
(d)
No provision or delegation to a State or county FSA committee will preclude the FSA Deputy Administrator for Farm Programs (Deputy Administrator), or a designee of such, from determining any question arising under the program or from reversing or modifying any determination made by a State or county FSA committee.
(e)
The Deputy Administrator for Farm Programs may authorize state and county committees to waive or modify nonstatutory deadlines or other program requirements in cases where lateness or failure to meet such does not adversely affect the operation of the program.
The following definitions apply to this subpart.
Adult beef bull means a male beef bovine animal that was at least 2 years old and used for breeding purposes on the beginning date of the disaster period.
Adult beef cow means a female beef bovine animal that had delivered one or more offspring before the disaster period. A first-time bred beef heifer is also considered an adult beef cow if it was pregnant on the beginning date of the disaster period.
Adult buffalo and beefalo bull means a male animal of those breeds that was at least 2 years old and used for breeding purposes on the beginning date of the disaster period.
Adult buffalo and beefalo cow means a female animal of those breeds that had delivered one or more offspring before the beginning date of the applicable disaster period. A first-time bred buffalo or beefalo heifer is also considered to be an adult buffalo or beefalo cow if it was pregnant on the beginning date of the disaster period.
Adult dairy bull means a male dairy bovine breed animal at least 2 years old used primarily for breeding dairy cows on the beginning date of the disaster period.
Adult dairy cow means a female bovine animal used for the purpose of providing milk for human consumption that had delivered one or more offspring before the beginning date of the applicable disaster period. A first-time bred dairy heifer is also considered an adult dairy cow if it was pregnant on the beginning date of the disaster period.
Agricultural operation means a farming operation.
Application means the “2005/2006/2007 Livestock Compensation Program” form.
Application period means the date established by the Deputy Administrator for Farm Programs for participants to apply for program benefits.
Disaster period means the applicable disaster period specified in § 760.1001.
Equine animal means a domesticated horse, mule, or donkey.
Goat means a domesticated, ruminant mammal of the genus Capra, including Angora goats.
Non-adult beef cattle means a bovine animal that weighed 500 pounds or more on the beginning date of the disaster period, but does not meet the definition of an adult beef cow or bull.
Non-adult buffalo/beefalo means an animal of those breeds that weighed 500 pounds or more on the beginning date of the disaster period, but does not meet the definition of an adult buffalo or beefalo cow or bull.
Non-adult dairy cattle means a bovine livestock, of a breed used for the purpose of providing milk for human consumption, that weighed 500 pounds or more on the beginning date of the disaster period, but does not meet the definition of an adult dairy cow or bull.
Owner means one who had legal ownership of the livestock for which benefits are being requested under this subpart on the beginning date of the applicable disaster period as set forth in § 760.1001.
Poultry means a domesticated chicken, turkey, duck, or goose. Poultry are further delineated by sex, age and purpose of production, as determined by FSA.
Sheep means a domesticated, ruminant mammal of the genus Ovis.
Swine means a domesticated omnivorous pig, hog, and boar. Swine are further delineated by sex and weight as determined by FSA.
(a)
To be considered eligible livestock to generate benefits under this subpart, livestock must meet all the following conditions:
(1)
Be adult or non-adult dairy cattle, beef cattle, buffalo, beefalo, equine, poultry, elk, reindeer, sheep, goats, swine, or deer;
(2)
Been physically located in the eligible disaster county on the beginning date of the disaster period;
(3)
Been maintained for commercial use as part of the producer's farming operation on the beginning date of the disaster period; and
(4)
Not have been produced and maintained for reasons other than commercial use as part of a farming operation. Such excluded uses include, but are not limited to, wild free roaming animals or animals used for recreational purposes, such as pleasure, roping, hunting, pets, or for show.
(b)
To be considered an eligible livestock producer, the participant's eligible livestock must have been located in the eligible disaster county on the beginning date of the disaster period. To be eligible, also, the livestock producer must have:
(1)
Owned or cash-leased eligible livestock on the beginning date of the disaster period (provided that if there is a cash lease, only the cash lessee and not the owner will be eligible); and
(i)
A grazing loss on eligible grazing lands physically located in the eligible disaster county, where the forage was damaged or destroyed by an eligible disaster event, and intended for use as feed for the participant's eligible livestock;
(ii)
A loss of feed from forage or feedstuffs physically located in the eligible disaster county, that was mechanically harvested and intended for use as feed for the participant's eligible livestock, that was damaged or destroyed after harvest as the result of an eligible disaster event;
(iii)
A loss of feed from purchased forage or feedstuffs physically located in the eligible disaster county, intended for use as feed for the participant's eligible livestock, that was damaged or destroyed by an eligible disaster event; or
(iv)
Increased feed costs incurred in the eligible disaster county, due to an eligible disaster event, to feed the participant's eligible livestock.
(1)
Livestock that were or would have been in a feedlot regardless of whether there was a disaster or where such livestock were in a feedlot as part of a participant's normal business operation, as determined by FSA;
(6)
All beef and dairy cattle, and buffalo and beefalo that weighed less than 500 pounds on the beginning date of the disaster period;
(8)
Livestock produced or maintained for reasons other than commercial use as part of a farming operation, including, but not limited to, livestock produced or maintained for recreational purposes, such as:
(a)
To apply for 2005-2007 LCP, an application and required supporting documentation must be submitted to the administrative county FSA office.
(b)
The application must be filed during the application period announced by the Deputy Administrator for Farm Programs.
(c)
Payments may be made for eligible losses suffered by an eligible livestock producer who is now a deceased individual or is a dissolved entity if a representative who currently has authority to enter into a contract, on behalf of the livestock producer, signs the application for payment. Legal documents showing proof of authority to sign for the deceased individual or dissolved entity must be provided. If a participant is now a dissolved general partnership or joint venture, all members of the general partnership or joint venture at the time of dissolution or their duly authorized representatives must sign the application for payment.
(d)
Data furnished by the participant will be used to determine eligibility for program benefits. Furnishing the data is voluntary; however, without all required data program benefits will not be approved or provided.
(e)
A minor child is eligible to apply for program benefits if all eligibility requirements are met and one of the following conditions exists:
(2)
A guardian has been appointed to manage the minor's property, and the applicable program documents are executed by the guardian; or
(3)
A bond is furnished under which a surety guarantees any loss incurred for which the minor would be liable had the minor been an adult.
(ii)
Was lost as a direct result of an eligible disaster event during an eligible disaster period specified in § 760.1001 ;
(3)
Any other supporting documentation as determined by FSA to be necessary to make a determination of eligibility of the participant. Supporting documents include, but are not limited to: verifiable purchase records; veterinarian records; bank or other loan papers; rendering truck receipts; Federal Emergency Management Agency records; National Guard records; written contracts; production records; Internal Revenue Service records; property tax records; private insurance documents; sales records, and similar documents determined acceptable by FSA.
(a)
Preliminary, unadjusted LCP payments are calculated for a producer by multiplying the national payment rate for each livestock category, as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, by the number of eligible livestock for the producer in each category. The national payment rate represents the cost of the amount of corn needed to maintain the specific livestock for 30 days, as determined by FSA. As provided in subpart K of this part, a producer may receive benefits for only one of the three program years, 2005, 2006, or 2007. The producer must indicate which year has been chosen. Payments are available only with respect to disaster-related fees losses in the period from January 2, 2005 through February 27, 2007, in eligible counties for losses during the times specified for the disaster periods as specified in § 760.1001(b).
(1)
For 2005 LCP provided for under this subpart will be reduced by the amount the participant received for the specific livestock under the Feed Indemnity Program in accordance with subpart D of this part and LCP for the 2005 hurricanes under subpart B of part 1416 of this title; and
(2)
For 2006 LCP under this subpart will be reduced by the amount the participant received for the same or similar loss under the Livestock Assistance Grant Program in accordance with subpart H of this part.
(c)
Subject to such other limitations as may apply, including those in paragraph (b) of this section, the payment under the 2005-2007 LCP may not exceed for the relevant year chosen by the producer the smaller of either the:
(2)
Value of the producer's eligible feed loss, increased feed costs, or forage or grazing loss as determined by FSA for that year.
(d)
The actual payment to the producer will be the amount provided for in paragraph (c) of this section subject to the adjustments and limits provided for in this section or in this part.
The appeal regulations in parts 11 and 780 of this title apply to determinations made under this subpart.
(a)
Any payment to any participant will be made without regard to any claim or lien against the commodity, or proceeds, in favor of the owner or any other creditor except agencies of the U.S. Government. The regulations governing offsets and withholdings in parts 792 and 1403 of this title apply to payments made under this subpart.
(b)
Any participant entitled to any payment may assign any payments in accordance with regulations governing the assignment of payments in part 1404 of this chapter.
Participants receiving payments under this subpart or any other person who furnishes information for the purposes of enabling the participant to receive a payment under this subpart must maintain any books, records, and accounts supporting that information for a minimum of 3 years following the end of the year during which the application for payment was filed. Participants receiving payments or any other person who furnishes the information to FSA must allow authorized representatives of USDA and the General Accounting Office, during regular business hours, and to enter upon, inspect, examine, and make copies of the books or records, and to inspect and verify all applicable livestock and acreage in which the participant has an interest for the purpose of confirming the accuracy of the information provided by or for the participant.
In the event there is a failure to comply with any term, requirement, or condition for payment or assistance arising under this subpart, and if any refund of a payment to FSA will otherwise become due in connection with this subpart, all payments made in regard to such matter must be refunded to FSA together with interest and late-payment charges as provided for in part 792 of this title, provided that interest will run from the date of the disbursement of the refund to the producer.